Despite abundant news stories informing the public about FEMA’s upcoming ‘presidential alert’ test, people still were surprised when their phones woke up and wailed at 12:18 p.m. Wednesday with the following message:

“Presidential Alert. THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

The internet has been blowing up with reactions to the alert system, as well as with detractors saying it gives President Donald Trump a direct line to their cell phone.

The warning system, though, was originally put in place under former President George W. Bush for radio and TV and then later updated during the tenure of former President Barack Obama to include cellphones. It wasn't until Wednesday under President Trump’s administration that it got its first test.

The Presidential Alert system is meant to be used in the event of a national emergency, but unlike other AMBER Alerts and local weather alerts, the presidential alerts cannot be turned off.

Around Great Falls, local law enforcement and Mayor Bob Kelly weighed in on the new system.

“It’s a national thing, so I don’t know if my opinion counts or is important,” said Sgt. Jim Wells of the Great Falls Police Department.

As the GFPD’s Media Relations Officer, Wells is used to the public wanting up-to-the-minute information on things that could affect public safety, so he doesn’t see why a public alert system wouldn’t be well-received.

Cascade County Sheriff Bob Edwards said he likes the alert system.

“You’re probably too young to remember, but we used to have air raid sirens everywhere, so this is more like a modern air raid siren," he said. "Technology is what it is. So I’m for it if it’s used properly and monitored.”

Edwards wasn’t the only Great Falls official who felt it was important that the system be used properly to avoid national panics such as the one early this year when a cell phone alert sent a false warning that ballistic missiles were on their way to Hawaii.

“Americans need to have some kind of warning system – a true one that you can believe in,” Edwards agreed.

Great Falls Mayor Bob Kelly said he's "for most types of protocols that allow authorities to save lives and issue credible warnings that save lives during natural and manmade disasters."

“I only hope that it’s used responsibly and subject to some oversight from an organization that can determine its most effective use," he said.

Wells didn’t take any issues with the public’s inability to turn off the alerts.

“It should be an option if you want it or not, to be honest with you,” he said. “Everybody’s got a choice. Why force it on somebody that doesn’t want it? But I’m happy to have it.”

Kelly was a bit more philosophical about the whole thing.

“I don’t really know whether people’s ability to turn things off on their phones for these kinds of warnings is an issue that falls in my wheelhouse as the mayor of Great Falls,” he said with a chuckle. “I think there are probably things that the federal government can and does do (privacy-wise) that are more egregious than this particular application.”

FEMA is continuing to refine the system, as many wireless customers did not receive the alert. Although the organization has issued a statement explaining why, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to who got the alert and who didn’t.

The Tribune, for example, has the same service carrier for all its phones, and all our reporters have the same model of phone, but not everyone got the alert.

FEMA has requested that folks who didn’t get the alert email FEMA-National-Test@fema.dhs.gov and provide information on what device they use, their wireless provider, whether they were using their phone when the alert went out and whether others nearby received the alert.